Annotation:Athole Cummers (1)

ATHOLE CUMMERS [1], THE. AKA and see "Bog an Lochan," "Lady Grant of Grant." Scottish, Strathspey. E Minor. Standard tuning. AABBCCDD (Bremner): AABBCDD (Macintosh/Johnson): AABBCDD' (Kerr): AA'BB'CD (Athole). The title first appears in Bremner's 1757 collection (p. 78), according to Glen. Athole (or Atholl) derives from the Gaelic ath Fodla, generally translated as New Ireland, and stems from the first invasion of the northern land by the Irish tribe the Scots in the 7th century (Matthews, 1972). The Scottish dialect word 'cummer' probably refers to a girl or woman, the title then meaning 'Athole Lasses'. It has been suggested that 'cummer' was derived from the Old French word 'commere', which itself is probably an elided form of 'comme mere', which translates as "like mother."

Printed sources: Bremner (Scots Reels), 1757; p. 78. S. Johnson (A Twenty Year Anniversary Collection), 2003; p. 35. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 1; 4th Set, No. 3, p. 5. Robert Mackintosh (Fourth Book of New Strathspey Reels), 1804; p. 35. McGlashan (Collection of Strathspey Reels), c. 1780/81; p. 10. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; p. 252.